Material-handling apparatus for lift truck or the like



g- 4, 1970 G. A. YOKICH 3,522,893

MATERIAL-HANDLING APPARATUS FOR LIFT TRUCK OR THE LIKE Filed July 17, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

\ GEORGE A.YOK|CH ATTORNEY Aug. 4', 1970 G. A. YOKICH 3,522,393

MATERIAL-HANDLING APPARATUS FOR LIFT TRUCK OR THE LIKE Filed July 17. 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 m F nn"! n Q 1 @Q FIG. 4

Aug. 4, 1970 c. A. YOKICH 3,522,893

MATERIAL-HANDLING APPARATUS FOR LIFT TRUCK OR THE LIKE Filed July 17, 1968 S-Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY G ORGE A.YOK\CH United States Patent US. Cl. 214-313 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is essentially concerned with materialhandling apparatus including a mast for mounting on a lift truck or the like having an elevator movable on the mast and carrying a mounting structure for movement with the elevator. A pair of gripping arms are carried by the mounting structure for movement therewith and are further movable relative to the mounting structure in an upward and downward swinging relation, during which the arms are cam-actuated to move away from and toward each other, for spacedly receiving between the arms an article to be gripped, and gripping engagement with the article upon downward swinging movement of the arms.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As is well known to those versed in the art, there have been provided in the past lift-truck attachments and the like for handling of drums and barrels. However, such apparatus has not been entirely satisfactory, being relatively complex in design and, therefore, lacking the desired durability and reliability of such apparatus; and further, prior drum-handling equipment has been of limited versatility, so that all the desired operations pertinent to drum handling, such as gripping, raising, pouring, lowering and releasing have not been conveniently obtainable.

SUMMARY Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the type described, as for handling drums and barrels by a lift truck or the like, which is extremely simple in construction and operation, requiring a minimum of inherently durable component parts, and which is capable of quickly and easily performing substantially all required operations in drum handling with convenience and safety.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a materials-handling apparatus of the type described which is staunch and durable in construction, capable of ecoa BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing material-handling apparatus of the present invention in position for gripping a drum, and showing a slightly later position of use in dot-and-dash outline.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in a later condition of drum-handling procedure, and illustrating in phantom still a later operation of drum handling by way of tilting.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view taken generally a- 3,522,893 Ice Patented Aug. 4, 197

along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, the drum-tilting position being shown in phantom.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken generally along the line 44 of FIG. 2, showing a spread position of the drum-gripping arms in phantom.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial perspective view showing the arms and adjacent structure in the solid-line position of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial perspective View showing the arms and adjacent structure in the phantom position of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawing, and specifically to FIGS. l-4 thereof, an upright structure or mast is generally designated 10, and may upstand from the forward region of a lift truck or the like, as at 11. The mast 10 may be of an open framework, as illustrated, or of other suitable construction, and provides a guide or way means for an elevator member or block 12. That is, the elevator or block 12 is adapted to slide vertically up and down in the framework of the mast 10. Any suitable actuating means, such as a hydraulic cylinder 13 may be mounted on the mast 10 and include a piston or plunger 14 connected to the elevator 12 for effecting raising and lowering of the latter.

Carried by the elevator 12, extending forwardly therefrom, is a mounting structure, generally designated 15. The mounting structure 15 thus moves vertically relative to the mast 10 together with the elevator 12. Extending generally forwardly from the mounting structure 15 are a pair of laterally spaced gripping arms 16. The gripping arms 16 are, therefore, also movable vertically with the mounting structure 15 and elevator 12.

More specifically, the mounting structure 15 may include a generally horizontally disposed shaft 20 extending forwardly and rearwardly, and having its rearward portion journaled in the elevator 12, as at 21. The shaft 20 may be provided with collars 22 and 23 fixedly circumposed about the shaft on the rear and front sides of the elevator 12, thereby retaining the shaft in its journal position within the elevator and holding the shaft against longitudinal shifting movement while permitting of shaft rotation. The shaft 20 extends forwardly beyond the elevator 12, and an additional hearing or shaft support may be provided by a plate 24 rotatably receiving the shaft 20 and affixed in forwardly spaced relation to the elevator 12, as by laterally spaced struts 25 on opposite sides of the shaft 20.

The shaft 20 projects forwardly through and beyond the plate 24, and is provided on its forward end with a mounting member or plate 26. Fixedly mounted on the front side of the plate 26, extending laterally across and beyond the plate is an intermediate tubular member or mounting part 27. The intermediate mounting part 27 may have a shaft 30 extending longitudinally therethrough. That is, the shaft 30, in the solid line position of the drawings, extends laterally through and beyond opposite ends of the mounting part 27. Thus, the shaft 30 has extending end portions or shaft parts 31 projecting laterally beyond respective ends of the mounting part 27. On opposite ends of the mounting part 27, spaced in ward from respective ends 31 of the shaft 30, the mounting part is formed with cam surfaces 34, which may be diagonally extending end surfaces of the tubular mounting part 27. The cam surfaces 34 may lie generally in vertical planes when the mounting part 27 is horizontal, extending diagonally forwardly and inwardly, as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. Suitably fixed to the mounting part 27, as by welding or other means, may be a pair of laterally spaced plates 32, each depending from the mounting part 27 and extending laterally outwardly therebeyond. A locking formation or pin, as at 33 may project rigidly forwardly from each plate 32, for a purpose appearing presently.

The arms 16 may each include a generally forwardly and rearwardly extending arcuate part 35, having a conforming wear member 36 on its inner or concave side. Rigidly connected to the rearward end of each arcuate arm part 35, extending transversely thereof, is a sleeve 37 circumposed about the adjacent respective shaft extension part 31. The inner ends of sleeves 37 are, therefore, respectively adjacent to the end surfaces or cam formations 34 of the mounting part 27; and further, the inner end surfaces 38 of respective sleeves 37 may define complementary cam surfaces extending in generally vertical planes diagonally forwardly for facing engagement with the adjacent surfaces 34, as in the condition of FIG. 7.

Suitable resilient means serve to bias the sleeves 37 laterally inwardly along the shaft parts 31, such as a coil compression spring 40 circumposed about each shaft part 31 and interposed between the outer end of a respective sleeve 37 and a retaining member or nut 41 on the distal end of the respective shaft part 31.

Thus, the sleeves 37 are resiliently urged laterally inwardly along their respective shaft parts 31, and are swingable upwardly and downwardly about the aligned axes of the sleeve parts. By the action of cooperating cam surfaces 34 and 38, the sleeves 37 and their respective arms 16 are simultaneously movable laterally inwardly toward each other upon downward swinging movement of the arms to the position of FIG. 7, and upwardly away from each other to the position of FIG. 6.

Rigidifying the arms 16 may be gusset members or plates 42 extending between each sleeve 37 and its adjacent arm part 35. Also, carried by each sleeve 37 may be a lug 43 having on its underside a recessed formation 44 adapted for interfitting or receiving engagement with the adjacent pin formation 33 upon downward arm movement to a generally horizontal position. Thus, the interfitting pin and recess formations 33 and 44 serve to retain the arms 16 against downward movement beyond a gen erally horizontal, forwardly extending position, and further retain the arms 16 against laterally outward movement away from each other when in their lower or horizontal position. The interfitting relationship between pin 33 and recess 44 is best shown in FIG. 5.

Carried by each arm part 35 is a depending support or leg 45. Each leg 45 may be formed of an elongate bar and may be adjustably fixed to its respective arm 16, as by an elongate slot 46 formed in the bar receiving a fastener or bolt 47 extending through the arm and slot. The legs or supports 45 each depend from their respective arms 16, generally normal thereto, and may carry ground-engageable wheels 48 on their lower ends. The legs 45 are, therefore, adjustable transversely of the arms 16, being vertically shiftable within the limits of slots 46 to a selected position of adjustment, such as is illustrated in FIG. 1. It will there be seen that the lower end wheels 48 of the legs 45 are in rolling engagement with a ground surface 49 to support the arms 16 in an upwardly swung position about their supporting shaft parts 31, when the elevator 12 is lowered. In this condition, by the cooperating action of the cam surfaces 34 and 38, the arm-supporting sleeves 37 are shifted outwardly to displace the arms 16 outwardly away from each other, relative to the horizontal arm position.

In addition, each leg or support 45 may be provided with an upward extension or bar 50, having a longitudinal slot 51 receiving the fastener 47, and preferably provided on its upper end with a retaining lip 52. The extensions 50 are, therefore, also selectively adjustable to extend a desired distance generally normal to and above the respective arms 16.

From the preceding description, it will be apparent that the mounting structure 15 together with the arms 16 and legs 45 are all rotatable together about the axis of shaft 20 journaled in the elevator 12. In order to effect this rotary action, the shaft 20 may be provided with a sheave or pulley 55 keyed to the shaft; and, the mast framework 10 may be provided, say at upper and lower ends thereof, with idler pulleys or sheaves 56 and 57.

A flexible line or cable 58 is trained about the sheave 55, and also about the sheaves 56 and 57. At one or more locations on the cable 58, there may be provided cable clamps or stops 59. By this means, upon vertical movement of the elevator 12 together with shaft 20, the cable 58 is caused to move with sheave 55, until a stop 59 engages one of the sheave blocks 56 or 57. Thereupon, continued movement of elevator 12 will, because the cable 58 is lapped about sheave 55, cause the latter to rotate and with it the mounting structure 15. While the mounting structure normally tends to return to its laterally extending condition, as by the weight of a barrel, drum or other article 60, there may advantageously be provided suitable detent means, such as a spring-pressed ball 61 snap engageable into a complementary formation of the mounting part 27, see FIG. 4, to releasably retain the mounting part in a horizontal condition.

In a typical operational procedure, the elevator 12 is lowered to the position of FIG. 1, whereupon the legs 45 engage the ground surface 49 to raise the arms 16 relative to the mounting part 27. This serves further to spread the arms 16 away from each other -by the action of complementary earns 34 and 38. In this spread condition, the apparatus may be moved to spacedly receive the drum 60 between the arms 16, as shown in the solid-line condition shown in FIG. 1, and dotted line condition of FIG. 4. Upon raising of the elevator 12 to the phantom position of FIG. 1, the arms 16 are swung downwardly or lowered relative to the mounting part 27, thereby moving the arms inwardly toward each other to grip the drum 60. Simultaneously, the legs 45 are raised and depend vertically to a position slightly spaced over the ground surface 49'. During this raising of the legs 45 with movement of the arms 16, the upward leg extensions 50 swing forwardly and upwardly to locate the upper ends thereof above the upper end of the drum 60. Continued raising of the elevator 12 serves to raise the drum 60, being grasped between the inwardly moved arms 16.

As described hereinbefore, continued movement of the elevator 12 effects the tilting operation of the drum 60, as by rotation of the mounting structure 15 about the axis of its shaft 20. A ninety-degree tilt of the drum 60 is shown in phantom in FIG. 3, while a more than ninety-degree tilt of the drum 60 is shown in phantom in FIG. 2. In the latter condition, it will be apparent that the retaining lips 52 on the extensions 50 aid in retaining the drum against movement in the arms 16, while permitting of pouring or discharging material from the drum.

During this raising and tilting of the drum, the pin and recess formations 33 and 44 are interengaged to positively lock the arms 16 against lateral movement away from each other.

Of course, the drum may be returned to its initial position by reversal of the above-described procedure, lowering of the elevator 12 effecting return of the drum to its upright condition, and simultaneous downward movement of the drum to its rest position on the floor 49 Continued downward movement of the elevator 12 eflects engagement of the leg wheels 48 with the ground surface 49, for relative upward swinging of the arms 16 and lateral separation or spreading thereof to disengage the drum. The apparatus is then free of and may be withdrawn from the drum.

It will be appreciated that the support or leg 45 and the extension 50 and the pin and recess formations 33 and 44 are not required except where it is desired to accomplish rotation of the drum 60* for emptying its contents. That is, where it is desired only to raise and lower drums, the arms 16 may be caused to rise and spread by forward movement against the outer periphery of a drum. The continued forward movement will permit the arms 16 to drop of their own weight and thereby come together into the lifting position, shown in phantom in FIG. 1. The drum may be thereby raised or lowered.

The arms may be disengaged by simply backing away from the drum 60. That is the reverse movement against the sides of the drums will likewise cause the arms 16 to raise and spread as they pass about the diametral dimension of the drum and thereafter eventually drop and again come together.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a materials-handling apparatus which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

What is claimed is:

1. A materials-handling apparatus for a lift truck or the like, said apparatus comprising a mast adapted to be carried by a lift truck, an elevator carried on the mast for up-and-down movement therealong, a mounting structure carried by the elevator for movement therewith, a pair of laterally spaced load-gripping arms mounted on said mounting structure for movement therewith and up-anddown swinging movement relative thereto, coacting cam means on said mounting structure and arms effecting movement of the latter toward and away from each other upon respective downward and upward swinging movement.

2. Material-handling apparatus according to claim 1, including support means carried by said arms and engageable with a nether surface to maintain said arms in an upwardly swung position of movement away from each other, whereby said arms in an upwardly swung position are disposable spacedly about an article to be handled and upon raising of said elevator to relatively lower said arms the latter are moved toward each other in gripping engagement with said article.

3. Material-handling apparatus according to claim 2, said mounting structure comprising laterally extending shaft means, said arms being mounted on said shaft means for swinging up-and-down movement about said shaft means and sliding movement therealong, resilient means biasing said arms toward each other, and interfitting formations on said mounting structure and arms interengageable when said arms are in their downwardly swung position to positively retain said arms against movement away from each other.

4. Materials-handling apparatus according to claim 1, in combination with journal means supporting a shaft on said elevator for rotation of said shaft together with said arms about a generally horizontal axis transverse of said shaft, and operating means for effecting said rotation.

5. Material-handling apparatus according to claim 4,

said operating means being operatively interconnected between said shaft and mast for rotating said shaft upon up-and-down movement thereof with said elevator relative to said mast.

6. Material-handling apparatus according to claim 1, said mounting structure comprising an intermediate part carried by said elevator, and a pair of shaft parts extending oppositely laterally outwardly from said intermediate part, said arms each including a sleeve slidably and rotatably circumposed about a respective shaft part, said cam means being located on adjacent portions of said intermediate part and sleeves, and resilient means carried by said shaft parts outwardly of and in inwardly biasing relation with said sleeves.

7. Material-handling apparatus according to claim 2, said support means comprising ground-engageable legs depending from said arms and of a height to maintain said arms in an upwardly swung position away from each other.

8. Materials-handling apparatus according to claim 7, in combination with upward extensions on said legs engageable over said article upon upward movement of said arms to raise the legs from a ground surface prior to lifting of the article, whereby said extensions retain the article in position upon inversion thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,604,220 7/1952 Frischmann 2l4652 2,926,803 3/1960 Collins 2143l3 3,306,479 2/1967 Hopfeld 2l4-3l4 X HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 2143 

